A couple have launched their third business together to tackle the UK ‘succession crisis’.
Emma Margetts and Scott Winship met at Investec Asset Management 15 years ago and have since spent the past decade building, scaling and selling businesses together.
The couple sold their first business Alpha Exchange, an investment research exchange for the capital markets community, to Visible Alpha – now S&P Global – and say ClearScore snapped up their second venture BetterCents, a digital debt manager.
Their latest business Emsco Partners has launched its fund to tackle a growing problem.
Tens of thousands of profitable small and medium-sized businesses are owned by ageing founders, many without clear succession plans. Emsco Partners is a long-term investment firm that seeks to acquire and actively manage high-quality UK businesses, providing thoughtful ownership transitions for retiring owners.
Sector agnostic, it is actively pursuing its first platform acquisition, targeting UK-wide businesses with £1-10 million of EBITDA.
“Having sold two businesses ourselves, we know that selling is as much an emotional decision as a financial one. We want to make that transition as seamless as possible for sellers, employees and clients,” said Margetts.
Winship added: “For many business owners, the prospect of selling to private equity fills them with dread. We’re focused on long-term value creation, not quick flips, with a strong emphasis on preserving legacy and culture.”
The fund attracted strong investor interest and reached almost three times oversubscribed within three weeks.
The capital base comprises a group of top-tier international investors. Among the backers are Orca Equity Partners, Ambit Partners, Vonzeo Capital and Miramar Equity Partners, as well as prominent entrepreneurs including Will Thorndike and Simon Webster.
“We backed Emma and Scott for many reasons, amongst them were their hands-on operating experience, clear vision for value creation, coachability and sharp focus on execution excellence,” said Jan Simon, managing partner at Vonzeo Capital.